My Lunch 4959548 223651656 2008-07-05T02:29:18Z 72.241.12.219 {{Infobox Television episode | Title = My Lunch | Series = Scrubs | Season = 5 | Episode = 20 | Airdate = [[April 25]], [[2006]] | Production = 520 | Writer = Tad Quill | Director = John Michel | Image = [[Image:My Lunch.jpg|245px]] | Caption = J.D. attempts to console a depressed Dr. Cox after two of his three patients die of rabies. | Episode list =[[List of Scrubs episodes]] | Prev = [[His Story III]] | Next = [[My Fallen Idol]] }} "'''My Lunch'''" is the 113th [[episode]] of the American [[sitcom]] ''[[Scrubs (TV show)|Scrubs]]''. It originally aired as Episode 20 of Season 5 on [[April 25]] [[2006]]. It is the highest rated episode of the series, tied with ''My Screw Up''. The plot is based on the [[Rabies#Transmission through organ transplants|true story]] of three patients who died in [[June 2004]], due to rabies contracted by organ transplants.<ref> {{cite web | last =Keller | first =Joel | title =Bill Lawrence of Scrubs: The TV Squad Interview | publisher =[[TV Squad]] | date = [[January 17]], [[2007]] | url =http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/01/17/bill-lawrence-of-scrubs-the-tv-squad-interview/ | accessdate = 2007-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title =Rabies-infected organs kill 3 patients | publisher =[[CNN]] | date = [[July 1]], [[2004]] | url =http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/07/01/rabies.organ.transplant/index.html | accessdate = 2007-06-03}}</ref> However, as the commentary on the Season 5 [[DVD]] mentions, the episode took some [[dramatic license]], as the organs from one donor do not usually all go to the same hospital. ==Plot== After repeatedly running into annoying recurring patient Jill Tracy (Nicole Sullivan), J.D. feels guilty when she dies of an apparent drug overdose and he didn't act on warning signs that she showed previously when meeting him. Carla and Elliot convince Todd to admit to being gay, but contrary to what they had hoped, this does not change his personality for the better. Dr. Cox initially consoles J.D. but struggles to follow his own advice later on, when he finds out that Jill actually died of rabies and the infected organs went on to kill all the receivers of them. After two of the three patients die from rabies, Dr. Cox becomes depressed and J.D. attempts to console him with lunch. J.D. tells Dr. Cox that there was no way he could have seen such a complication with the organs, as rabies is a relatively rare medical condition, and that he (J.D.) would have made the same call, especially considering the patients were in dire need of transplants. This appears to make Dr. Cox feel better, but they then both receive a page concerning Dr. Cox's friend and patient, Mr. Bradford. Carla and Dr. Cox attempt to revive Mr. Bradford, but he dies, sending Dr. Cox into a meltdown and he explodes, knocking over all of the medical equipment in the room. It turns out that Mr. Bradford was not in terrible need of a transplant, and could have waited another month for a kidney. Dr. Cox then leaves the room, and J.D. reminds him of his own advice, stating: "As soon as you start blaming yourself for people's deaths, there's no coming back". Dr. Cox, now in tears, merely replies "yeah, you're right", and walks out of the hospital. ==Reception== This episode is tied for the highest-rated episode of ''Scrubs'' on [http://www.tv.com/scrubs/show/3613/top.html?tag=subtabs;top TV.com] (9.8 out of 10), tied with "[[My Screw Up]]". The episode was criticized for the unlikelihood that Jill's organs matched all three patients, although the critic later acknowledged that he was unaware that the episode was based upon a real case.<ref>{{cite web |first=Joel |last=Keller |title=Scrubs: My Lunch |work=TV Squad |url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/04/26/scrubs-my-lunch/|accessdate=2007-06-26}}</ref> [[Amazon.com]]'s Donald Liebenson calls it a "powerful episode that shows a welcome maturity". Liebenson is also thankful that "the music rights were secured for the DVD release so that [[The Fray]]'s '[[How to Save a Life (song)|How to Save a Life]]' is playing on the soundtrack when Dr. Cox has his own tragic setback."<ref>{{cite web|first=Donald |last=Liebenson |title=Scrubs - The Complete Fifth Season Scrubs - The Complete Fifth Season |work=Big6 Skills Learning Center |url=http://www.amazon.com/Scrubs-Complete-Season-Zach-Braff/dp/B000NOKFH6/ |accessdate=2007-06-26}}</ref> ==Continuity== *In the sixth-season episode "[[My Long Goodbye]]," Dr. Cox sees (or imagines seeing) the ghost of a pregnant Jill Tracy, who died in this episode. *The day this episode aired is the same day Elliot planned on getting married according to "[[My Journey]]". ==Featured music== *"[[How to Save a Life (song)|How to Save a Life]]" by [[The Fray (band)|The Fray]] == Guest Stars == * [[Nicole Sullivan]] as [[List of minor characters of Scrubs#Jill Tracy|Jill Tracy]]. * Rachel Winfree as Jill's mother, who agrees to donate her daughter's organs. * David Warshofsky as Dave Bradford, Dr. Cox's friend, who needs a kidney transplant. ==References== *DVD audio commentary, with [[John C. McGinley]] and director John Michel. {{refs}} == External links == * {{imdb episode|id=0796524|title=My Lunch}} * {{Tv.com episode|id=695772|title=My Lunch}} {{scrubs}} [[Category:Television episodes|L]] [[Category:Scrubs episodes|Lunch, My]]